Don't you forget about Cas
by the iz
Summary: The Winchesters suspect that something's not right with Castiel, but Claire's concern makes them certain of it. Slot-in scene for 11x12 because I was outraged by Claire not mentioning Cas ONCE so I assume it happened off screen. Not actually shippy at all, for once! Hope you enjoy, please leave a review!


_Hello hello!  
I REALLY enjoyed 11x12 and I am more convinced than ever that we need a 'Wayward Daughters' spinoff. Also got some odd one-sided shippy vibes from Claire/Alex?! I don't even know, I think Kathryn just gave some intense acting around Katherine and it translated to me as like an angsty crush or something. Anyone else? I mean, if Claire and Alex are the next Dean and Sam (which they totally are) then this could be my second chance at shipping Wincest :P I joke, I joke. Mostly. ANYWAY, it was a great ep and Mama Jody is amazing.  
However, one thing about the episode really bothered me and kinda ruined my enjoyment a little bit. No mention of Cas. I didn't care about not having Misha in the ep but as if Claire wouldn't ask about Cas? As if the boys wouldn't have let Cas know that his quasi-daughter was in trouble and they were gonna go visit her? As if Casifer's lack of interest in going wouldn't have raised a red flag? AS FUCKING IF SPN WRITERS  
... So I wrote this to slot into whatever scene we missed before Jody and Alex walked in on Claire and the Winchesters chatting.  
It made me feel better about the huge oversight and I hope it does for you too :)_

 **Don't you forget about Cas**

"So where is he then?"

Dean and Sam glanced at each other uneasily. They'd been here for ten minutes at most; it hadn't taken Claire long to ask after her would-be father figure. The prickly young woman glanced suspiciously between the two men, familiar blue eyes sharp and angry beneath their customary layer of eyeliner. Dean sighed, knowing from experience that the rage was there to mask pain and doubt. The same pain and doubt he felt at the mention of his best friend.

"Where is who?" stalled Sam, and Claire scoffed silently at him, clearly readying one of her stroppy sarcastic retorts. Dean would have smiled, but he felt too uneasy. He jumped in before Claire could speak.

"We don't know where Cas is. We let him know that you called, but he-"

"He's busy," Claire interrupted flatly, the hurt breaking through on her face. "Yeah, I know. I called him first. He told me to contact you guys instead. Pretty much hung up on me."

"Oh." Dean exchanged a worried look with his brother. They both knew that this wasn't good. Their angel friend had been distant and hard to reach for over a week now, and the few times they'd seen him he'd been slightly... off. Sam didn't really see it, but Dean knew Cas best and Dean insisted that there was something weird going on there. Both brothers had agreed that it was probably just stress or a phase or something, but if Castiel was ignoring Claire too then something was definitely not right. Cas would do anything for Claire.

"Guys," Claire said loudly, calling their attention back to her. "I know that something's wrong. Castiel is weird and dorky but - and I hate to say this - he's my friend. What's up with him?"

Sam shifted forward in his seat. "Nothing's necessarily wrong. Castiel has just been doing his own thing lately. He still checks in, he seems OK."

Claire didn't answer, just turned to Dean, giving him raised eyebrows and a head tilt which made his stomach twist in recognition. He shrugged, averting his eyes. "Look, sorry if he was a dick to you, Claire, but try to remember that Cas is not human. He acts really strange sometimes."

"I know how he acts," snapped Claire defensively. "He and I have stayed in touch, actually. He sends me texts. Like, heaps of them. Mostly friggin' emoticons."

Claire rolled her eyes at this point and both Sam and Dean chuckled. Castiel and his stupid emoticons. It had become a running gag in the bunker. Claire smiled slightly too before staring down at the table, the expression fading away. "He stopped like ten days ago. Just stopped. I texted him a couple of times but he only replied once, to say that he's busy and he'll get back to me."

She raised her head and her eyes were raw and pleading, a child wanting reassurance. Dean felt a pang at the sight.

"No emoticons," she said quietly. "I know it's stupid but that seemed really off. No emoticons at all. And then I called him this morning and he sounded, I don't know, bored. Like I was bothering him when he had better stuff to do. That's not like him either. Guys, I know when something weird is going on, I'm not crazy. Something's wrong with Castiel."

Dean swallowed and saw Sam's trademark concerned face in his peripheral vision. He half-listened to his brother giving meaningless words of comfort to the worried young woman, lost in his own anxious thoughts. Claire was right, Cas was really off. Dean had been stunned when he'd called the angel after receiving the summons from Claire, expecting Cas to drop everything and rush to his charge's aid. Instead, he'd had a truly puzzling conversation.

" _Hello?"_

" _Hey, Cas, it's Dean, how's things?"_

" _Oh, Dean. Hi. I'm fine, and you?"_

" _Yeah, yeah, all good here... Listen, I just got a call from Claire."_

" _Oh, Claire."_

" _Right, yeah, Claire. Says she's having a bit of trouble, our kind maybe. Sam and I are heading down to Sioux Falls to check it out. You wanna come along?"_

" _No, no, I'm sure you can handle it. Send my regards, hmm?"_

" _What? Cas-"_

" _I really have to go, Dean. See you around."_

" _Oh. OK. Bye..."_

He'd known then that something must be up, but to have Claire call Cas directly and for him to still refuse to come help? Cas wouldn't do that.

Cas wouldn't do that.

Dean frowned at the floor, heart rate picking up. What had changed his friend so dramatically? What was making Cas act so unlike himself? Was it even Cas? What if a demon or something had somehow-

"Dean?" Sam's voice startled him out of his train of thought. He stared at his younger brother, mouth slightly slack.

"I said, Cas is probably involved in some angel business which is keeping him real busy. Right?"

Sam's hazel eyes were intent upon him, and Dean understood the message. They both knew that this did not smell right at all, but Claire didn't need to know that. Mustering up a carefree smile, Dean leaned comfortably back in his chair, forcing the tension out of his shoulders.

"Right. Claire, I know you care about Castiel, and you can be damn sure he cares about you too." Claire screwed up her face in distaste at the words, but didn't argue. "We'll keep an eye on him but this is probably just angelic crap stressing him out. We'll let you know if we do find anything out about what's got him acting weirder than usual, OK?"

Claire narrowed her sky-blue gaze at him and he kept his smile in place, trying not to shift in his seat. Eventually she shrugged and nodded. "Fine. But make sure you do find out. Now, let's get down to business. There's something seriously screwed up going on in Sioux Falls..."

Dean pushed thoughts of Castiel to the back of his mind as he listened to Claire talk and he could see Sammy do the same. He was more sure than ever, though. Something was very wrong with Castiel, and the time was fast approaching when they would find out exactly what.


End file.
